I love this race! I ran it in 2014 and had heard it had great volunteers and organizers. I was not disappointed. From the easy packet pickup in the hotel lobby, where the volunteers seemed truly excited to greet me, all the way to the pizza banquet and awards, the workers made this race great. The start line was a short walk from the hotel, so that made getting to and from the race easy. I ran in a year where there was a 1 hour delay for storms, but the communication was regular and I never felt stressed that I was missing some information.
This is a small race, less than 200 people, and it has a small feel to it. The start line felt like a local 5k, but that allowed me to talk to a couple of organizers beforehand and ask about the course.
Speaking of the course, it's tough but not the hardest thing I've ever ran. There are 6 climbs of over 100 feet, but they are spread out evenly throughout the course. Easley Hill, at the halfway point, is what this course is known for, and it's no joke. I had to stop and walk the last part because it was so steep, but that only cost me a few seconds. Overall, the climbs are tough but the rest of the course it easy to navigate.
There were volunteers at every turn so getting lost was never an issue. Also, since it was such a small race, my wife was able to drive ahead of the race and see me at various points on the course. I had asked for permission before this and the race directors said this was absolutely ok as long as she was aware of runners on the course.
The finish line was really well organized and there were lots of people there cheering on finishers. This was the only part that didn't feel "small" as they made crossing the finish line feel special.
The race T-shirt was awesome and they improve on it every year.
I would recommend this race to anyone who is looking for a smaller marathon to run.